Biological Studies and Surveys within and around the Area ...
Transcript of Biological Studies and Surveys within and around the Area ...
Biological Studies and Surveys within and around the
Area of Acadia National Park 1899-1947.
By Kristen Ober and Jack Shaida
Today, Acadia National Park is one of the most frequently visited National Parks in the
US. More than 2.35 million people find their way to the park in 2013, making it the 9th most
visited National park. However the first 30 years of Acadia National Park existence were
relatively quiet. Summer vacationers were the primary visitors to the park . In 1919 only 64,000
people visited the park, climbing to 409,961 by 1940. The relatively small staff that consisted
primarily of superintendent George Dorr, an assistant superintendent, a few rangers, and later
a few naturalists. The early park officials were primarily concerned with maintaining (and
creating) trails, and roads and maintaining the scenic beauty of the landscape in the park. At
that time the NPS as a whole spent more time and money promoting the parks, than actively
managing the ecosystems within the park. The park staff at Acadia simply did not have same
resources as they do today, and thus were unable to continually study all the wildlife in the
park. However the Dorr and his staff did see the need to actively manage the ecology of the
park, and launched certain studies in order to scientifically inform those management
decisions.
There were many early scientific wildlife studies conducted within the park, or the
surrounding areas, between 1889-1947. Before the park was created and in its first fifteen
years of infancy the park service conducted very few surveys and studies compared to citizens
and private organizations. Other federal and state agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey,
and Department of Agriculture conducted studies in the park, sometimes even without
coordination with the park service. As the park aged, and its budget, staff, and visitation
increased, the park service began to conduct more studies, and coordinate more frequently
with other agencies and individuals. Most of these studies and surveys aimed to find out what,
how many, and where various species of birds, fish, mammals, amphibians, insects, plants, and
other organisms lived in the park. Some studies of these studies informed larger management
initiatives, such as programs to control invasive and harmful species.
This report seeks to shed light on the science that occurred during the dawn of the park.
The reports, letters, and articles from the time period between 1899-1947 are organized by the
type of wildlife that they study. Timelines of the studies are included for the purpose of
showing the progression of science in the park over time three maps show the approximate
locations of each study within the Mount Desert Island, the surrounding Islands, Frenchman
bay, the Schoodic Peninsula, and Isle au Haut. Not every document included the specific area in
which the study was conducted, and some studies were island wide. The maps simply reflect
the general areas, not specific locations, that the studies occurred in. Finally all the studies were
summarized, to give the reader a specific summary of said study, survey, or article.
This research project was started with the goal to find and gather together information
and documents about US Biological Survey. The Biological Survey was a prominent US
ecological research organization. To better understand the organization a summary of the
history of the organization was created. However it appears that no USBS activities occurred in
Acadia National park during the time period between 1899 and 1941, when the USBS was
dissolved. The report moved from focusing on USBS work to any scientific studies and surveys
of the Parks biology conducted in the park during its infancy. The history of the Biological
Survey is included in order to give the reader of this report context to the process and
In 1871, United States Commission on Fishes and Fisheries was created by congress with
the purpose of studying and recommending solutions to a noted decline in the stocks of food
fish. Spencer Fullerton Baird was appointed its first commissioner (USGS Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center).
In 1885, Section of Economic Ornithology was originally proposed by the American
Ornithologists' Union and the Smithsonian Institution, was established by Congress to
investigate food habits and migration of birds in relation to insects and plants (USGS Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center).
In 1886, Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, under the leadership of C.
Hart Merriam, was expanded in 1886 to include mammals, and was elevated to division status.
Its general function was to provide information on pests to the rapidly expanding farm industry,
and for the first few years studies of food habits were emphasized. Merriam, however, was
more interested in plant and animal distributions and in the physical and climatic factors that
influence them than he was in crop pests and feeding habits (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center).
As a result, the Division began conducting general surveys of bird, mammal, and other
biotic community distributions, plotted the results and used them to construct life zone maps.
Merriam perceived this information to be of value to agriculture, and he established several
series of publications for the transmission of this information to farmers and other interested
parties (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).
In 1896, Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy later became Division of
Biological Survey. The name of the division was changed to reflect more accurately the work
being done. Employees of the Division including Edward W. Nelson, Edward A. Goldman,
Vernon Bailey, Theodore S. Palmer, Harry C. Oberholser, Wilfred H. Osgood, and Albert K. Fisher
continued to conduct faunal surveys for the next several years. Gradually, however, as
commercial agriculture continued to expand, Division personnel were compelled to spend more
time on the "economic" aspects of birds and mammals. Using information gained through
survey work, the Division addressed many questions of economic importance and provided
sound advice concerning the management of injurious as well as desirable species of wildlife.
Although survey work did not stop, application of the knowledge gained from earlier surveys
dominated the Division’s work (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).
In 1934, the Division of Biological Survey later became the Bureau of Biological Survey.
Passage of the Lacey Act in 1900, which made interstate shipment of game taken in violation of
state laws a federal offense and imposed federal restrictions on importation of exotic wildlife,
added further responsibilities, and in 1905 the Division became a bureau within the
Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new Bureau of Biological Survey continued to grow and
assumed additional responsibilities, and by 1929 it contained five divisions: 1) Biological
Investigations, 2) Economic Investigations, 3) Food Habits Research, 4) Fur Resources, and 5)
Game and Bird Conservation (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).
The Bureau was reorganized and several of its divisions were united to form the Division
of Wildlife Research. The responsibilities of the Division of Biological Investigations were
assumed by a Section of Mammalogy in the Division of Wildlife Research. The responsibilities of
the new Section included studies of life history, taxonomy and distribution of wildlife, game
management planning surveys, cooperative research in wildlife, investigations of wildlife
resources in Alaska, and research on forest wildlife. Although the responsibilities remained
essentially the same, in 1936 the Section of Mammalogy became known as the Section of
Wildlife Surveys, with Hartley H. T. Jackson in charge (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).
In 1939, the Bureau Biological Survey was then transferred from Department of
Agriculture to Department of the interior; where it was combined with the Bureau of Fisheries,
formerly of the Department of Commerce, to form a new agency within DOI called the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).
In 1941, The Biological Survey Unit (BSU), because of Bureau reorganizations, was
removed from the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to the National Biological Survey (NBS) and
thence to the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).
A brief summary of important events in the history of Acadia National Park is included to
provide background on the time period this report focuses on.
In 1901 Charles W. Eliot forms Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservation.
The organization was created for the purpose of preserving and protecting lands for public use
that have scenic beauty, historical value, or scientific interest.(Mazur, 186)
In 1913 The Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservation offer 6,000 acres of land
owned by the corporation on MDI to the federal government for use as a park. (Mazur, 186)
In 1916 The land is designated the Sieur de Mont National Monument by Woodrow
Wilson. (Mazur, 186)
In 1919 Congress acts turns Sieur de Mont National Monument into Lafayette National
Park, the first national park east of the Mississippi. George Dorr becomes the superintendent of
the park. (Mazur, 186)
The Park's name is changed to Acadia National Park in 1929.
George Dorr died in 1944, B.L Hadley becomes the new park superintendent.
Friends of Acadia, a non profit conservation organization, is formed in Bar Harbor in
1986. The organization is made up of volunteers that work in conjunction with the park service
on projects to help conserve the park. One of the first major projects of the group was restoring
and maintaining the 47 miles of Carriage roads for use as bicycle and walking paths within the
park. (Mazur, 186)
Map of Mammal, Amphibian, and Aquatic Life Surveys1
Map of Bird Survey Locations
1 (Google Map, 2014. Locations by Jack Shaida using data compiled from IRMA)
(Google Map, 2014. Locations by Jack Shaida using data compiled from IRMA)
Map of Plant and Geological Surveys
(Google Map, 2014. Locations by Jack Shaida using data compiled from IRMA)
An array of surveys, studies, and observations were conducted on Mount Desert Island
between 1916 and 1947. During this time period the Sieur de Monts National Monument
became Acadia National Park, visitation to the area increased, and the Park Service's interest in
studying the ecology of MDI grew. These scientific investigations examined and recorded
various living entities of Mount Desert Island, including but not limited to; birds, deer, beavers,
amphibians, fish, insects, and sea creatures. Most of these studies were conducted by private
organizations, such as the National Association of Audubon Societies, Local citizens, and
biologists and naturalists that worked in conjunction with the park service.
Birds:
1899 Eagle, Crow, Osprey, Scooters
An observer on Mount Desert Island witnesses an osprey dropping a fish it has caught
and an eagle took it. Soon after this victimized bird has another fish, and the eagle is quick to
pursue it. The eagle was not as successful this time due to a couple of crows chasing him away.
The osprey now had his fish to himself. (Hallock, 1899)
1916 Summerbirds of Sieur de Monts
This is a report by Charles Eliot, Jr. on the observations in the new Sieur de Monts
National Monument on Mount Desert Island. This report includes in depth observations of the
American Bald Eagles and their life history. In Autumn there is a great increase on the ocean-
dwelling birds. Fishermen refer to the young Black Guillemots as the sea-pigeons. Hawks are
also referred to as “evil little sharp-shinned rascals.” The voices of the Thrushes are the
crowning glory of the National Monument’s bird-life. This report includes observations for a
total of 160 species of birds, not including the 35 species observed in the winter and during
migration (Eliot, 1916).
1931 Birds of NE Harbor
A list of the birds seen in the last fortnight of June, 1931; from the whole of Brown and
Sargent Mountains, and Greening’s Island, with everything inbetween, from Somes Sound to
Long Pond. There were 72 species spotted. (Eliot, 1931)
1933 Banded birds
A total of 2389 birds were banded on Great Head from August 12th, 1929 to June 26th,
1933. Bird species banded were: Chickadee, Myrtle Warbler, Junos, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Purple Finch, Downy Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow, Catbird, Bronzed Grackle, White-
crowned Sparrow, Robin, Barnswallow, Lincoln Sparrow, Cowbird, Crow, Acadian Sharp Tail
Sparrow, Dovekie, Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Redstart, Fox
Sparrow, Magnolia Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, Maryland Yellow Throat, Goldfinch, Black &
White Creeper, Indigo Bunting, Spotted Sandpiper, Cedar Waxwing, Towhee, Mocking Bird, Lark
Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Yellow Warbler, Ovenbird, Vesper Sparrow, and the Eve Swallow
(Anthony, 1933).
1933 Letter on Birds of Acadia
A letter from the Portland Society of Natural History to a park naturalist describing the
flight seasons from 1867 to 1934. No less than three hundred birds were handled in one flight
by taxidermists in Maine. A local taxidermist paid only .50 cents each against $3.00 in early
years. They exchange a story of a Snowy Owl that held a large brown rat in its right hand talons,
and carried the prize about as it flew from place to place, when too closely approached. Acadia
National Park stuffed animals are also being sent to the Portland Society of Natural History
(Norton, 1933).
1935 Bird list
A complete list of all the birds observed by Chris Farley on Mount Desert Island in the
year 1935. At least one bird of 37 unique species of bird were observed. This compares to 45
species that were collected by Henry Filliettas in 1895 (Norton, 1935).
1937 Cape May Warbler
James Bond reports on the presence of Cape May Warblers on the southern point of
Mount Desert Island, he observes ten pairs. The birds appeared during the last week in May
and in all instances the males were discovered singing at or near the top of tall spruces. At no
time was a male seen to descend, when feeding, lower than twenty feet above the ground. The
males had no particular ‘singing tree’ as many warblers have, but each bird confined itself to a
very restricted locality, keeping within a radius of approximately a hundred years. One
afternoon he located a female Cape May Warbler collecting nesting materials, which in this
case was the hair of a collie dog that had been buried by someone and later dug up by foxes.
The male took no part in nest building. The species is known on occasion to lay as many as eight
eggs (Bond, 1937).
1937 Checklist of Birds in Acadia
A list of all of the species of birds found on Mount Desert Island, Frenchman Bay and the
Schoodic Peninsula since 1900 until 1937. The park service considered that any birds found in
any of these regions, were likely to be found in the park, and were therefore included in the list
of Birds in Acadia. The list was compiled by Maurice Sullivan a park naturalist at Great Smoky
Mountain National Park, from the notes, records, and publications about birds of various
private citizens from / Bar Harbor, Winter Harbor, and Southeast Harbor. 157 bird species are
listed. 8 species are listed as hypothetical; species that once lived in or are rare visitors to the
park. (Sullivan, 1937).
1937 Christmas Bird Census
The survey was conducted by A. E Browner, Charles Gay, Vernon Lunt and Maurice
Sullivan. The survey found a "deplorable lack of hawks and owls." The Association was
concerned that the lack of those rodent predators were a major contributing factor to the
growing number of squirrels and mice on the island (Brower, et al. 1937).
1938 Birds of MDI
Two young peregrine falcons were seen flying near Eagle Cliffs [Precipice]. Ten
Tennessee Warblers were found on Schoodic Point but not on the Mount Desert Island, but
were suspected to live on the island. Yellow Pine Warblers were found at the Sea-Wall. A
Lincoln Sparrow was found at the Sea wall bog, a species that had not been mentioned in any
record on the Island up until that point (Dietrich, 1938).
1945 Black Back Gulls
A report on the status and population of Black-Backed Gulls on the coast of Maine by
Alfred Gross on the unprecedented increase of various Gull populations occurred in the
beginning of the 20th century, mostly due to conservation efforts. The report estimated the
population of Black-Backed Gulls in Maine to be 3,500. The population was spread out on 98
Maine islands. 61 of these islands had more than 5 nesting pairs of Gulls. There were 46
nesting pairs found on Schoodic Island southeast Schoodic Peninsula unit of Acadia National
park. The report found that Black-backed Gulls were aggressive and destructive to other gull
species. They would destroy eggs and kill the young of other species. The report recommended
measures be taken to control the booming population of this species by the FWS (Gross, 1945).
Mammals:
1925 Beavers of MDI
The author recounts that one beaver was introduced to Otter Creek in 1920 but died.
Then the following year four beavers were introduced to the Bubble Pond stream (this report is
contradictory to a late report by B.L Hadley, that lists the 1921 and 1922 as the date of these
events.) In just three years time the population of Beavers on the Island grew to 25-30, and
spread out to colonies at Breakneck Ponds, Witch Hole Pond, New Mill Meadows Pond, Eagle
Lake, and Little Hunters Beach Brook. The author reports significant damage to timber in
swamp lands that were flooded by beaver dam in the first three locations. The author suggests
the trapping of beavers living near destructive dams, to be either relocated to areas of the park
where they would be harmless or killed for fur. He concluded that allowing the beavers to
reproduce and expand unchecked by the park service would be destructive to the beavers and
their food supply (Bailey, 1925).
1934 Beaver Reintroduction letter
The chief warden of the Board of Game and Fish Commissioners in Dover, Delaware is
writing to thank the Assistant Superintendent of Acadia National Park for sending them beavers
to release on their land, there were two previous releases. They hope to re-establish beavers
through this foundation stock. They noted that this beaver acted just as though they belonged
there (Foster, 1934).
1937 Beaver Restocking
Beavers, which had been present on historically present on Mount Desert Island as
evidence by the old dams and historical records, were completely wiped out on the island by
trappers in the beginning of the 19th century. The park staff at Acadia took an immediate
interest in re introducing beavers to the various streams and creeks on the island. The first
attempt to do so was in 1921. Doctor George H. Phillips, the representative of Bar Harbor in the
Maine Legislature, brought a beaver to Otter Creek Valley in autumn. However the beaver was
unable to build a dam and died in the winter. in 1922 Philips brought three beavers to Bubble
Pond Stream in the park where they successfully built a dam and house. By 1925, the beaver
population on the island exploded. New dams were found as far Trenton, 12 miles from the
original dam site. from 1925-1928 park rangers began trapping and moving beavers back to the
three original colonies, in an effort to keep the beavers from spreading all over the park. The
park also allowed the State Conservation Department and accredited Game Associations to
take the beavers and move them to colonies off Island, as far away as New Hampshire. This
measures effectively confined the early beaver population on the island to three main colonies,
one at Bubble Pond, and two on the western part of the island, by 1930 (Hadley, 1937).
1944 Deer Ecology
A Study conducted on September 11th - 22nd, 1944 by Phil Goodrum a Wildlife Biologist
on Public Lands with the help of various park officials. The survey studied the effects on the
large deer population on various vegetation found at a wide array of locations in the park.
A series of almost twenty studies and reports on the deer situation and population in
Acadia had been conducted primarily by Park Service Employees, such as superintendent
Hadley, since 1930. The first of these reports in 1930 found that there was an abundance of
deer on the island and in the park. However a State Game Law allowed for a brief ten day
period of hunting to take place on the island, during which 60 deer were killed. However this
law was overturned for Mount Desert Island, and protection status was given back to the park
for deer. Between 1937 and 1942 a series of studies found that deer were very large, and that
they did considerable damage to farms and gardens on the Island outside of the park. However
the park service remained staunchly opposed to hunting. However a number of groups on MDI
called for opening hunting of deer outside of the park on the island. In 1941 the trapping of
deer outside the park was suggested by the park service as a possible solution to the deer
problem. The park service believed that the issue should be solved by local and state
government and private citizens, not by the park service or other federal agencies. They
recommended that any hunting or trapping that took place on the island, should be organized
by the state government and carried out by locals at their own discretion. In 1944 the proposal
to allow trapping in the non parklands of MDI came to a vote in the town of Bar Harbor and was
firmly rejected by a wide margin , effectively ending the possibility of hunting or trapping on the
island for the time being.
No formal or exact census of deer was taken during the study by the park service.
However it was estimated that deer populations were 50% of what they were when the last
deer census was taken in 1941. That census found the deer population on the island to be 1850
in April and 2300 in November. The study estimated, based off of deer tracks, that the deer
were equally spread around the island, but tended to congregate near roads and trails, where
increased sunlight led to lusher vegetation on the forest floor. The deer also tended to
congregate on the southern slopes of mountains. Additionally the author came to the
conclusion that deer moved freely between the mainland and the island, as well as moving onto
smaller islands offshore of MDI.
The survey focused on the activity of deer, and the impact they had on vegetation in
certain areas of the park. The areas surveyed are, Cadillac Mountain, Schooner Head, Upper
Hadlock Pond, New Mill Meadow Road, Oak Hill, Richardson's Gravel Pit, Sargent Mountain,
Breakneck Road, Somesville and Pine Hill, Bass Harbor, and Acadia Mountain. A series of fenced
areas were created on Sargent Mountain and Pine Hill around thick areas of white cedar to
prevent deer from eating the plants. The study found that the summer population of Deer on
the Island caused sufficient over browsing of certain plants. Significant damage was done to
northern red oaks, red maples, and the ground hemlock. These plants sprout growths were
significantly hurt by deer. However most of the plants commonly eaten by deer were available
in large enough numbers as to not be hurt by the deer population.
It was the opinion of the author of the study and various other park personnel that the
population of deer on the Island had dropped considerably since 1939. The primary reason for
this was postulated to be an increase in illegal killings of deer. A park ranger Lyle Smith kept a
record of known deer mortalities on the island from 1937 to 1944. He found that the number of
deer directly or indirectly killed by people went from 51 in 1938 to 92 in 1939, and slowly
decreased to 15 by 1944 as the population of deer on the island decreased. These deer were
killed by dogs, cars, poachers, or gardeners, with cars being the leading cause of recorded death
of the deer on the Island.
The Author recommended some kind of control measure to be considered by the park in
order to curb the population of deer (Goodrum 1944).
1945 Deer study
The Study conducted on April 22 - 28nd, 1944 by Phil Goodrum a Wildlife Biologist on
Public Lands with the help of various park officials on Mount Desert Island. The purpose of the
study was to determine the effect of winter browsing by the deer population of the island on
the plots established by the 1944 study.
The Study compared the vegetation within fenced areas compared to the surrounding
areas, in order to discover the effect that deer had on various species of plants and trees. The
author found that the following plants provided most of the food for deer during the winter;
red maple, red oak, white cedar, sweet fern, striped maple, sumac, blackberry, raspberry,
aspen, blueberry, and huckleberry. The white cedar, sweet fern, blackberry, raspberry, sumac,
red maple, and striped maple were the preferred winter food for the deer. The other plants
were only grazed when the preferred vegetation was not available. The study found that red
oak sprouts and red maple sprouts could be completely removed by deer during the winter and
spring. Inside the park, there was not a sufficient enough amount of these plants to sustain the
population in the foreseeable future. Additionally deer were moving outside of the park, to de
forested areas of the park where better vegetation could be found. The study reached the
conclusion that the current population of deer on the island could not grow anymore without
potentially damaging the vegetation which the deer feed from. Any increase in the deer
population could lead to the eradication of the red oak and sumac from the park.
The park service began setting traps for deer’s on Sargent Mountain in 1945. The ten
traps were used to capture and tag deer (Goodrum, 1945).
1947 Deer Survey
The study found that the population of deer on MDI had maintained the same between
1944 and 1946, but increased between 1946 and 1947. No census was taken during the study.
The population estimates were based off of the damage caused by deer browsing. The study
concluded that the current deer population of MDI would cause significant browsing damage to
various species on MDI, notably Red Maple, Sweet Fern, White Cedar, striped Maple, and Red
Oak. The author recommends an increase in the use of traps to capture deer so that they can
be tagged and moved off Island. The author suggests that the park service keep track of all deer
mortalities on Island, and record cause and location of death (Goodrum, 1947).
Herpetology:
1933 Notes on MDI Snakes
The Nature Notes on Mount Desert Island describe the capture of a fine adult specimen
of the Ring-necked snake, which was the first of its kind seen on the island in two summer
seasons. Many Red-bellied snakes were birthed in captivity. The Smooth-scaled green snake is
the most common snake in Acadia National Park. There was a sighting of a starting house cat
eating a green snake (Stupka, 1933).
Plants:
1926 Pitcher Plants
A study on the protozoa of the pitcher plant was conducted by using samples from
Salisbury Cove, on Mount Desert Island. The general problem under attack is that of host-
parasite relationships and the specific problem is that of the relations between intestinal
protozoa and their environment. The most common living organisms encountered in the
pitchers were insect larvae, mites and rotifers. There are two types of protozoa living in
pitchers: free-living species and species adapted for life in the pitcher liquid and restricted to
this habitat. The pitchers are visited by many insects which are drowned in the liquid and these
no doubt are frequently soiled with material containing cysts or even living trophozoites of
free-living protozoa (Hegnet 1926).
1929 White Pine Blister Control
The Bureau of Plant Industry is coordinating with Acadia National Park on the
procedures to for White Pine Blister Rust Control on Mount Desert Island. They have identified
10,000 acres with White Pine where the disease is generally distributed. They have proposed to
supplement the Ribes survey to determine more accurately the abundance and distribution of
host plants. They would like to hire a “COMPETENT MAN” to examine and determine areas that
should be protected. They have also suggested that the extra funds from the surveys go to the
control measures. In depth they describe the locations/blocks for the surveys. It is also
suggested that the control work begin once all the leaves are out. They all produce leaves at the
same time due to differences in site, exposure, etc. The development of Ribes growing in
depressions or on the north side of a hill, is usually a week or more behind that in more
favorable situations. The Maine Insect Field Laboratory was established in Bar Harbor to study
forest insect conditions on Mount Desert Island as well as within Acadia National Park (Acadia
National Park Archives 1929).
1942 Blister Rust Control
A program launched by the park service from July 15th to September 1942 to prevent
the spread of Blister Rust, a species of rust fungus invasive to North America that kills white
pines.The $1080 was set aside by the program to pay 10 Civilian Conservation Corps workers to
help in the reduction of the blister rust. In order to stop the spread of the blister rust, the
workers would mark white pines that had blister rust on them, and remove surrounding ribe
plants that helped to spread the blister rust to other white pine. A report by B.L Hadley in
march 1942 found that the red garden currant does not spread the blister rust, while european
black currants and wild gooseberries were known carriers of the disease (Hadley, 1942).
Gastropod mollusc:
1916 Dog Whelk
This is an article from the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of
Philadelphia concluding the results from a study of Dog Whelk on Mount Desert Island. There
are great differences between the ratio of the color varieties present in different locations. In
the surf environment at a given age, dog whelk, are smaller than those from the bay
environment. There is a correlation between the many color varieties of Dog Whelk with the
conditions under which the animal lives. Over 12,000 snails were collected from sixty-seven
localities.It has been shown that the color of the rocks, whether dark or light, has an effect. The
individuals living on rocks near mud flats are darker than on the more exposed points on the
island (Colton, 1916).
Fish:
1927 Fishes of MDI
There is a problem of the particular manner in which inland fish gain access to the
brooks and ponds of Mount Desert Island which has no connection with the mainland since
preglacial times. Fish were found where they adapted to live, no matter how much salt water
separates them from the mainland. There are 11 indigenous species of fish, and a total of 13
species of fish. There are many proposed methods of dispersal: recently introduced or ‘stocked’
by man; species that migrate along the shore; and fish-eating birds. Considering the speed of
these birds in flight, it is entirely possible to conceive of life-delivery at any of the bodies of
freshwater on the island. There appears also to be a remarkable correlation between the fish-
fauna of the area and its adaptability for avian transportation. Food taken for such a purpose
must conform to rather definite specifications: it must be abundant, commonly distributed,
quickly discovered, readily caught, and easily carried. Examination of the several routes and
agencies of possible dispersal indicates favorable consideration of the hypothesis that fish-
eating birds have played an important part in the introduction and distribution of these fish
(Batchelder, 1927).
Polycladida:
1939 Polyclads
Study of polyclads biological systems by Libbie Hyman, a Biologist from the Museum of
Natural History in New York city. He studied polyclads, a marine flat worm, found on Mount
Desert Island in the summer of 1937 and various other locations on the north eastern US
seaboard (Hyman, 1939).
General Biology and Geology Surveys:
1914 National Geographic of MDI
George B. Dorr and companions write for the National Geographic Magazine, exploring
the acquisition of land, observations on passenger pigeons, Audubon Society protection
advances, bird conservation, and the magnificence of Mount Desert Island’s landscape (Dorr, et
al, 1914).
1922 Survey of Turner Lake, Isle au Haut
Various USGS chemists took various samples of water from the lake and analyzed the
chemical structure of the lake. The levels of various Ions, Minerals, and Organic matter in the
lake were recorded. The chemists were able to link the existence of most of the Ions and
Minerals to various species that lived in the lake. The survey found a surprising lack of various
comeon lake dwelling life forms from the lake, such as cattails, duckweed, eelgrass,
pondweeds, turtles, frogs, and most fish. Small eels and herring gulls from the sea were the
most notable residents of the lake. Eight species of crustacea were found in the lake (Clarke, et
al. 1922).
1925 Survey of MDI region
A survey started in 1923, published in 1925, by members of the MDI Biological
Laboratory and Associated Naturalists, in order to gain a knowledge of the marine flora and
fauna of the region. 50 trips were undertaken by the biologists to collect samples and record
about 250 forms of marine animals. The work occured mostly near Otter Creek and Egg-Rock
(Dahlgren, 1925).
The preliminary research done during this period seta groundwork for the much more
cohesive ecological studies conducted by the Park service in the latter half of the 20th century .
Acadia's valuable wildlife diversity was better understood by the park service and other
interested organizations because of these studies (Dorr, et al. 1914). Many species of birds, fish,
and mammals that had been wiped out in other areas of the Maine coast were observed on
Mount Desert Island during these surveys. This led to the use of Acadia's wildlife to reintroduce
certain species to other parks, wildlife preserves, and conservatories in the region (Clarence,
1934). Because of these surveys’ the park service better understood the urgency for wildlife
conservation and public education.
These initial scientific surveys and studies in and around Acadia National Park brought a
deeper understanding of the Parks unique wildlife to the park managers and visitors. These
wildlife censuses and impact studies strongly influenced the park service's wildlife management
decisions, and brought national prominence to the park. The surveys and studies conducted
collectively created a park wide census of the species abundance and diversity along the Maine
Coast (Norton, 1935). Due to the abundance and management of species on Mount Desert
Island, Acadia National Park was able to contribute specimens to other parks, wildlife refuges,
and centers lacking sufficient specimens to repopulate over poached areas (Batchelder 1927).
Bird specimens were also sold to taxidermists (Norton, 1933). There was an extensive collection
of observations of bird mating and breeding patterns (Hallock 1899). Acadia National Park
became a model for conservation, due to their efforts to conserve species that were being over
poached elsewhere in Maine. There was a strong encouragement of conservation and
education. They took active steps to mitigate invasive species and diseases threatening native
flora and fauna (Acadia National Park Archives 1929). The studies done on Mount Desert Island
explored the various methods of species introduction, such as human introduction, glacial
formations patterns, and species transporting species occurrences (Dorr, et al, 1914).. The
management techniques of species reintroduction due to competition by invasive species and
over poaching were adopted by other facilities (Acadia National Park Archives 1929). Acadia
National Park participated in nationwide censuses, this data complied with surveys and studies
lead to the comparison of species diversity on Mount Desert Island and along the Eastern Coast
(Brower, et al. 1937). The studies and surveys conducted on Mount Desert Island were crucial
for the conservation and species management done by Acadia National Park; they contributed
to region wide centers for flora and fauna protection and appreciation.
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